Tastes

Nose. Maple-smoked bacon, treacle, caramel and bonfire smoke. There’s a meaty quality, as well as a hint of tar. Palate. Smoky bacon crisps, treacle, saltwater, a peppery warmth and smoke. Finish. Oily but long and dry, beautifully warming, peppery. At 54%, non chill-filtered and very reasonably priced, this is a complex and lush mouthful; you can’t go wrong.

Nose. Honey, smoke and sea salt. Palate. More honey, vanilla, some malt and a touch of spicy smoke. Finish. Medium-long and malty.

Nose. Peaty smoke with salty, smoky bacon and caramel. Palate. More peat and bacon, but this time with medicinal and menthol notes. Finish. Long, beautifully peppery and spicy, salt and smokiness.

Nose. Sea air, medicinal notes, peat and a hint of BBQ. Palate. Ash, smoke, and an earthy/nutty quality. Finish. Salty sea breeze and smoke. There’s also a slight grassy flavour in the background.

Nose. Sherry, brown sugar, nutmeg and a touch of orchard fruits, but there’s also something slightly grassy or herbaceous. Palate. Oily and rich, with more of that grassy/herbaceous flavour. Prunes and raisins. Finish. Medium-long. Spicy warmth and ginger.

Nose. Honey and vanilla. Possibly some oak/wood? Palate. Subtle… to the point of lacking depth. Fruit, a hint of smoke and some black pepper? Finish. Medium-short. Pepper and an alcohol bite.

Nose. Fruity with some Sherry influence. Possibly some malt? Palate. A touch disappointing. Some more Sherry and malt. Finish. Fairly short; a bit of honey and malt lingers.

Nose. Light peat and phenols. Some brine and iodine. A touch of smoky bacon at the end. Palate. Medicinal smoke, vanilla and smoky bacon crisps. Finish. Medium and lacking some depth. Smoky bacon crisps linger. Really not bad for the price you pay. This comes from the same business behind Glengoyne, Tamdhu and Rosebank distilleries, and owners of Smokehead.

Nose. Melon and ripe banana, malt and a touch of vanilla. Palate. Gentle, soft spice and mint. Malty sweetness and some apple. Finish. Medium, with some prunes and brown sugar. There’s also a grassy note that develops.

Nose. The Oloroso influence is immediately obvious; rich Christmas pudding and orange marmalade. Palate. Spicy marmalade. Christmas in a glass. Finish. Very long and warming, with a lovely spicy marmalade flavour that lingers. This whisky has the same new-make base as Henstone’s ex-bourbon editions but was aged in two ex-sherry firkins. You really wouldn’t know that it was as young as it is. Limited to only 161 bottles, snap it up if you get the opportunity.